Homemade Recipes For Those With Dry Hair and Tight Budgets!

What To Do When On A Budget

Doing hair on a budget isn’t easy. Taking care of hair on a bidet is even harder. When I lived in New York, I had to live on a strict budget. Everything I bought was calculated into my budget list. Rent was high, and so was tuition. There was virtually no space for hair care. It’s great that homemade recipes were available to save the day.

My biggest issue with my scalp and hair is the dryness. My scalp gets extremely dry at times, and my hair typically follows after. Living in New York with dry hair was awful because of the weather, and the fact that I was on a tight budget. So, what did I do?

Well, I used homemade products to keep my dry hair under control. Typically, the best remedy for dry hair is deep conditioning. However, deep conditioning products can be expensive when you’re on a budget, especially if you were like me living in a ridiculously expensive city. Being on a budget is never fun, but there are always ways to take care of hair while saving money.

Let’s get into some of the best homemade hair conditioning treatments that’ll give your hair life!

3 Favorite Types

There are tons of homemade conditioner recipes out there, but which ones are effective? As previously mentioned, I have dehydrated hair. My scalp isn’t any better either.

I’ve tried all the homemade recipes possible, but I’ve finally narrowed it down to about three favorite ones.

The second is the coconut oil and honey, a lovely smelling and soft mix that’ll transform your hair.

The third is avocado, and aloe vera gel, a combination that’s sure to bring softness to your hair. I chose these three homemade recipes because of three factors. One, I found that my hair was softer after each of these conditioners.

So soft that I thought that I left some product in my hair! Second, not only was my hair soft, it was moisturized. My dry flakes were gone! Third, the best aspect that I was able to save money and most ingredients were already in my kitchen!

If you want to get like me, try these recipes out. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. Let’s get into them!

Mayonnaise Mask

The homemade mayonnaise mask is easy to make. All you need is mayonnaise. However, if you want to add a little spunk to it, you can add some essential oils, egg yolk, or another healthy ingredient such as banana. The processing time for a mayonnaise mask is about 20-30 minutes.

Because the consistent of mayonnaise is already so perfect, you won’t need to whip it before application. If you’ve already rinsed your hair, then you’ll apply the mayonnaise on right after. To use the mask, take about one cup of mayonnaise, and lather it onto your hair from root to ends. Make sure you massage it into your scalp and outwards.

Then, let it sit for about 20 to 25 minutes. After, you’ll use a gentle shampoo to cleanse the mask out of your hair. Make sure you don’t use a harsh shampoo as it will just dry out your hair. When I use this mask, I add about 5 to 10 drops of tea tree oil to add more to the mask.

The oil helps with dry scalp patches. The mayonnaise mask is beneficial for anyone needing moisture, and frizz control! The mayonnaise mask also defines curly hair.

It’s also been said to remove hair lice!

Coconut Oil and Honey Mask

Coconut oil has been hailed as the most fantastic product for hair, especially when it comes to moisture. Honey has also been said to be amazing for anyone needing to soften their tresses. To make this homemade mask, you’ll need one tablespoon of honey, and one tablespoon of coconut oil.

Pour both ingredients into a small bowl, and add any other ingredients you like. For this mixture, I like to add some rose water to make the mix soft. Also, before doing any of this, make sure your coconut oil is completely melted. Coconut oil hardens when stored at room temperature. To apply, you’ll need to part your hair into two sections.

Wet it, then use the mask by massaging it onto your scalp before lathering it from roots to ends. Leave the mask on for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, rinse off the mask using warm water.

Make sure you’ve gotten all the product out of your hair before shampooing with a mild shampoo. I loved this mask because it moisturized my hair. The honey was a nice touch since it smelt great, and helped soften my hair.

This mask is great because it doesn’t require much and you can purchase the ingredients anywhere for cheap!

Avocado, and Aloe Vera Gel

One of my favorite hair masks is the avocado and aloe vera gel. Avocado is rich in fatty acids that moisturize hair. So, this mask is created with avocado, but also with aloe vera.

You can add ingredients such as egg to change the consistency of the mask. To make this mask, add all ingredient to a small bowl, and whip until it’s an even consistency. After creating the mixture, you’ll dampen your hair, and apply the homemade conditioner.

If you want the conditioner to penetrate deeply, leave it on for 20 minutes, and wear a shower cap while doing so.

This will trap the heat into your cap and cause the conditioner to penetrate deeply.

A Homemade Budget

All in all, these masks are great for anyone looking to treat their hair without breaking the bank. The three masks above worked great for me, especially since I have dry hair.

Homemade recipes are incredible because the ingredients are right in your kitchen, and if not, you can get them for cheap at the store!

Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone, and try some ingredients you wouldn’t have thought of before!

About Simi Muhumuza

Simi is an undergraduate student at GSU. She is studying psychology, and is an avid black mental health advocate. She is also a poet, and is working on a book that will be released next year. She DJ’s on her spare time, and can be reached on all social outlets as @simimoonlight.